The Joke's On Us
by hungrygirl
Summary: Little holiday story about Jane and Maura plotting a way to fend off another of Angela's matchmaking attempts. Do they pull it off or is Angela a step ahead of them? *New Year's Eve follow up to complete this story. It's still all fluff. Holiday fluff.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This has been sitting in my fic folder for weeks, unfinished. Finally found some time to finish it but not to fully tweak. Still, I hope it gives anyone who reads some holiday cheer. Belated Happy Holidays to ya'll! Would like to get to working on a NYE follow up to this one but can't promise. We'll see! :)**

* * *

"I can be your girlfriend."

Jane's whirlwind of thoughts ceases mid-panic when she hears Maura's declaration, delivered matter-of-factly.

"What are you talking about? Did I just miss a big chunk of this conversation?" Jane questions, one eyebrow shooting up as her forehead creases in confusion.

Maura chuckles, calmly appraising Jane. "You said you don't want to but don't really have a choice but to put up with your mother's uhm...unsubtle approach at matchmaking on Christmas Eve, right?"

"I did say that. Exactly that," Jane confirms, sarcasm evident. "I still don't see what that has to do with what you said," she continues, eyebrows remaining arched, curls flying wildly as she shakes her head.

"Well," Maura pauses, shrugging nonchalantly, "how better to combat an unsolicited matchmaking attempt than by rendering it completely unnecessary."

Jane shakes her head again, fingers going up as if to squeeze a headache away from her temples. "Meaning what, Maura? That we'll pretend to be a couple during dinner?"

Maura nods, pushing off of her kitchen counter to slide closer to her obviously distressed best friend. She takes Jane's free hand and wraps it around her waist before inching closer to peer up at the brunette whose head remains cradled in her fingertips, looking down. "You think you're up for the acting job, Jane?" she asks with a teasing smile, attempting to draw one out of Jane, too. "Shouldn't be too hard, right?"

The doctor grins triumphantly when she spies the ghost of a smile on Jane's face, also not missing the pink hue tingeing her olive skin. "Wipe that shit-eating grin off. Did your genius brain not realize that for us to be able to pull that off, everyone else - meaning my nosy family, especially the queen of nosiness, my Ma - would also have to think that we are a couple? Frankie and Tommy wouldn't care, they would either think we're really...together or be onto whatever we're trying to pull off. Either way, I wouldn't care. They know how much I hate Ma setting me up with her friends' sons. But Ma would bust our asse...behinds if she figures out what we're doing."

Jane gives the silk underneath her fingers a few tugs to emphasize her point, hand returning to rest lightly on Maura's back afterward. "She's smarter than both of us combined, your genius and all," Jane reiterates, this time lightly pressing on Maura's back with her fingertips.

"Oh, I did think of that," Maura counters, nonplussed and seemingly oblivious to how close to Jane she is. She dips the left side of her body to rest a forearm back on the counte, the movement dislodging Jane's hand from her back. She does not fail to notice Jane's hand appearing momentarily lost, not knowing where to rest before settling on the holster at her waist. "I just happen to disagree with you. Smart as she is, I don't think Angela would have a clue. I think that with the way we just naturally are around each other, something your family's used to by now, it would be easy for a stranger to assume a more than platonic nature to our relationship. We would only have to, what is it you say, turn the crank up."

"Crank it up."

"Yes, that's what I meant."

Jane chuckles, smiling fondly at Maura. She keeps her gaze on the blonde, lips pursed in thought. "So you're saying we're gonna actually let Ma get to the conclusion that we've become..." Jane pauses, grasping for the appropriate word.

"Lovers?" Maura supplies, playful grin in place.

Jane turns a shade redder. "Yeah. More than friends."

"Would it be a really bad thing if she did? I mean, if she asks point-blank if we are, we can always say…" this time, Maura pauses to think.

"What the hell are you talking about, Ma?"

"Right. That wouldn't quite be the words I would use but yes, something like that."

Jane lightly taps the back of her hand on Maura's hip. "Ok, ok. You can keep your genius card. It might actually work," she finally concedes, now feeling a hint of unexpected excitement at the prospect of "cranking it up."

Maura straightens up, crossing her arms over her chest. "Do you think this guy your mother would like to set you up with would buy it if we did? Crank it up, I mean."

"Depends on what you mean by cranking it up." Jane's phone buzzes, distracting her as she turns to rest her back on the counter. The incoming text message enough for her not to notice Maura has once again scooted closer to stand side by side with her.

Only when she feels the weight of a head on her shoulder and catches a whiff of vanilla and peach does she pause from typing a reply. Next, she feels a hand wrap around her bicep and squeeze gently. When Maura's hand slides down her arm to weave her fingers through Jane's, the taller woman could no longer pretend to be oblivious. She turns to look first at their clasped hands and then toward Maura who appears nothing but comfortable resting against her.

Without moving, except to run her thumb over Jane's knuckles, Maura quietly speaks.

"This," she pauses to turn and meet Jane's gaze, "is what I had in mind."

* * *

"Are you sure about this, Maur? I promise I won't be mad if you decide not to go through with it. I'm pretty sure I can find a way to fend Fabio off."

About half an hour before everyone showed up for Christmas Eve dinner, Maura and Jane allow themselves some time to relax on the couch, wine and beer in hand. They sit shoulder to shoulder, Maura in a silver Armani dress and Jane in a tailored red suit Maura had bought for and convinced her to wear for the dinner.

"I have not changed my mind, Jane," Maura announces, resting a hand on Jane's thigh. "I'm actually looking forward to it," she adds reassuringly. "Besides, I wouldn't want any friend of mine married to a man named Fabio. Much less my best friend." Jane throws her head back, laughing even as she scrunches her nose up in disgust.

"You're looking forward to lying?" Jane asks, poking the back of Maura's hand with her finger. "Because you know, technically, you'd be lying by pretending to be my girlfriend." She turns to her right, bringing her head toward Maura as her eyebrows wiggle teasingly.

"I wouldn't be because I don't look at it like that, like I'm pretending to be something I'm not," Maura rebuts.

"Not pretending to be something you're not?" Jane repeats. "Are you hinting at something, Maur? Are you proposing to be my girlfriend to make this all real?"

Maura rolls her eyes at the other woman, lightly hitting her leg with the hand that has been resting on it. "Silly. What I meant was that I wouldn't be pretending to be anything, merely acting the way I normally do around and with you, albeit with a bit more freedom and less restraint. And then letting Fabio draw his own conclusions from it."

"Restraint?" Jane echoes once Maura once again. "You mean you've been consciously trying to keep your hands off of me?" While her gaze is teasing, inside, Jane is genuinely curious.

Maura shrugs. "You're not the most tactile person, Jane. And I am...with people I care about. So yes, I have had to, on occasion, consciously ease off on...initiating contact. I would never want to make you uncomfortable."

Jane stares at Maura in surprise, her look later on evolving into something Maura couldn't quite identify. "Really?" she finally manages to ask. "Because you know, you don't have to. I mean, I'm not the most touchy feely person but you're my best friend, Maura, and I…" she trails off, finding herself getting a little uncomfortable with the current topic. "I honestly wouldn't mind you...touching or hugging or doing whatever...to me."

Maura only smiles in reply, gazing at Jane with evident affection.

"Noted."

"In fact, I'm not as opposed to touching as you seem to believe I am" Jane begins as she maneuvers an arm behind Maura. Her hand lands on Maura's shoulder and she pulls the blonde close, left hand joining her right to fully encircle Maura within her arms. "Especially not when it comes to you." To further emphasize her point, she kisses the top of Maura's head. "Actually, maybe only with you."

Maura breaks the silence following Jane's admission. "It makes me very happy to hear that, Jane," she says, head falling onto Jane's shoulder.

"Does this count as practice?" Jane asks, smiling as she rests her cheek on blonde head.

"If you want to call it that," Maura affirms. "I would like to think we're merely openly expressing affection."

"Well…" Jane laughs lightly, chest vibrating against Maura's head. "That, too, of course."

The doorbell rings soon after, drawing disappointed sighs from the two. They pull apart with Jane rising to her feet first, offering a hand to pull Maura up.

"Ready for the madness to begin?"

"Looking forward to it," Maura replies, wanting to reassure Jane. Without her voicing it, Maura knows her best friend is more than a little nervous and stressed. She reaches for and squeezes Jane's hand before walking ahead of her toward the door. Jane follows closely behind, hands on Maura's shoulders.

* * *

Sure enough, both Frankie and Tommy had noticed and pulled Jane aside before they had even sat down for dinner.

"What's going on, Janie?" Frankie asks first.

"Yeah, what's with all the googly eyes and acting like Maura's boyfriend all of a sudden. And she's just as bad, hanging onto you like a leech," Tommy follows up with less subtlety, true to form.

Jane's blush comes instantly. Biting her lip to hold back a laugh, she shrugs and raises both eyebrows in mock confusion. "I don't know what you're talking about?"

Frankie lightly taps the back of her head, not buying his older sister's act. Jane glares at him, tempted to strike back. "Don't play dumb. Either you've finally found the balls to go after Maura or you're playing it up to keep Ma from setting you up with this air freshener guy who hasn't even shown up yet."

Jane laughs out loud, quickly in on the joke. "Febreze? Good one, Frankie."

"Hey, I thought of it," Tommy butts in, claiming credit.

"Whatever," Frankie waves him off, eager to get answers from his sister. "So which is it, Janie?"

Jane stares back at him, looking unwilling to budge. "First, what the hell did you mean about me finding the balls to go after Maura?"

"Oh, knock it off," Tommy replies instead. "You two have been playing this game too long. It's obvious to anyone with eyes you got the hots for each other."

"What the -"

"Jane," a familiar voice interrupts her oncoming tirade before Jane feels fingers tangling with hers. "You're not being a very good hostess. We're ready to sit for dinner," Maura announces, appearing beside her best friend. "Let's go sit down before Angela takes over the seating arrangement and saves the seat next to you for this Fabio," she leans up to whisper in Jane's ear.

Jane's eyes widen comically. "Come on," she concedes right away, leaving her brothers - who sport matching smirks - one last glare before practically running toward the dining table, Maura in tow.

The pair manage to sit next to each other, Jane sitting to the right of Angela who occupies the head, her friend Antonia, Frankie, and Tommy to her left. TJ sits at the end in his high chair, leaving the only empty seat next to Maura.

Frankie mouths "Where's Febreze?" to Jane who responds with a glare signalling him not to even ask. As curious as she herself is, Jane would rather not ask lest it prompts either Angela or Antonia to act on hastening Fabio's arrival. The less time this guy spends with them over Christmas Eve dinner, the better for her sanity, Jane has decided.

* * *

"This turkey is cooked perfectly!" Antonia exclaims after her first bite. "Mine almost always ends up rubbery, I'm afraid to admit. You had better share your secret with me, Angie."

"Oh, I didn't cook the turkey, Maura did," Angela declares with evident pride, smiling at her "other" daughter as she had introduced the doctor to Antonia. "You would have to ask _her_ for the secret."

Maura smiles, breaking her gaze away from Jane's, oblivious to the older Rizzoli's observant eyes watching the exchange. Angela hadn't missed the little nudge of an elbow and the teasing but proud smile her daughter had directed at Maura.

"There really is no secret except for brining," Maura responds readily, appearing excited to share information. "Heat introduced to any meat always results in some shrinkage and moisture loss," she begins. Jane coughs quietly, mumbling "google mode on" in the middle of it, earning her a discreet pinch on the side from Maura. Frankie and Tommy quickly join in, also coughing conspiratorily, this time earning a scolding glare from their mother. Maura continues, undeterred. "Normally, meat loses about 30 percent of its weight during cooking. But if you soak the meat in a brine first, you can reduce the moisture loss to as little as 15 percent. I would expound on the scientific process behind this but that would probably bore everyone to tears." She sends Jane a quick look, clearly pointing her out as the target of her words.

The detective instantly looks contrite. "Of course not, Maur. Your facts are always...interesting." She reaches for Maura's hand on her lap, squeezing firmly.

Maura rolls her eyes but squeezes back, reassuring Jane that she had not taken offense at the teasing. "I'll email Angela the procedure and she can share it with you, Antonia."

"That would be wonderful, Maura. Thank you! I can't wait to try it and surprise everyone with a juicy turkey on New Year's eve."

As dinner goes on without a hitch, everyone enjoying the food and both Angela and Maura receiving praises for their cooking, the continued absence of the mysterious Fabio puzzles Jane.

Despite his absence though, which should've rendered their charade unnecessary, Jane has found herself unconsciously keeping up with the "plan." All evening, she has felt relaxed and free around Maura, grazing her hand, her elbow, her side with her fingers at every opportunity. Her gaze often drifting to her right as if pulled by an invisible string.

And it hasn't escaped her that Maura had been the same, matching her touch for touch, lingering look for lingering look. At one point, the doctor had even reached for and taken her hand under the table and brought it to rest on her lap, clasped with her own. She had never been more thankful to be left-handed than at that moment, more than willing to surrender her non-dominant hand to Maura the rest of the evening if she had to.

It all feels surprisingly natural. Instinctive. As if talking about putting this act on had freed them both to act as they had both been wanting to without fear of overstepping bounds. Like every touch is legal, any lingering gaze authorized, each flirty smile justified.

None of this has gone unnoticed. Especially not by Angela's keen, astute eyes. Her initial puzzled looks had, as the evening gone on, evolved into satisfied and knowing smiles as she watched, sometimes by accident, the interaction between the two. And the interactions have been fascinating, she has never seen the two so focused on each other and yet so carefree and spontaneous.

"Help me serve dessert?" Maura asks, face close to Jane, leaning in after excusing herself and getting up from her seat.

"Sure."

Four pairs of eyes watch the two leave, Jane's hand on Maura's back, their heads close together in conversation.

"So…" Frankie breaks the silence. "Ma, Antonia...what happened to Fabio? I thought he was coming?" He feels brave enough to ask now that Jane is not at the table.

"Oh, Angela didn't tell you?" Antonia replies quickly and rather loudly, making Frankie cringe, afraid Jane might overhear. "He couldn't get out of dinner at his girlfriend's parents' house."

"Ooooh," both Frankie and Tommy react, shooting their mother similar knowing looks. "Fabio's at _his girlfriend's_ parents' dinner, huh. I guess Ma forgot to tell us. And Jane."

"Didn't I tell you that?" Angela waves it off. "Must've forgotten," she adds, only briefly meeting her sons' eyes.

"The amazing Maura Isles Tiramisu is here!" Jane announces as she walks back in from the kitchen, carrying the red platter bearing dessert. Busy serving slices, she misses the wink her mother sends her brothers' way.

From the end of the table, TJ makes a small commotion as he lunges for his father's plate.

"Oh, I forgot about TJ's dessert!" Maura exclaims, once again getting up. "He can't have this, there's too much caffeine in it. Let me get the strawberry tiramisu I made for him."

"Aw, you didn't have to, Maura. He'd be happy with ice cream or something." Tommy looks mildly embarrassed but also in awe of the lengths Maura had gone to for his son. No wonder he had a crush on the doctor early on, before his sister had warned him to not pursue anything with Maura.

"Nonsense, TJ deserves a special dessert, too. It's Christmas eve."

After she leaves to retrieve TJ's dessert, Jane's gaze lingers on the spot Maura had vacated. The proud, adoring smile had not left her face from the moment Maura announced that she had made TJ his own tiramisu. She appears lost in her own world, staring at the spot Maura had been at and oblivious to the eye rolls and discerning smiles her brothers exchange as they both watch her.

"I'll take his dessert to the living room and help him with it," Maura's voice breaks Jane from her trance. A pang of disappointment from losing Maura's presence next to her quickly vanishes as she watches Maura pick TJ up from the high chair with much ease, settling him on her hip with one arm as the other holds the plate of strawberry tiramisu.

"You sure, Maura?" Tommy makes as if to get up and take TJ from Maura.

"Yes, I'm sure. Sit down and finish dinner, Tommy. TJ and I will find something good to watch, won't we, TJ?" She asks, smiling at the little boy who nods enthusiastically, excited to be finally free from being confined in the high chair.

Maura looks over toward Jane, quietly asking with her eyes if it would be ok to leave her alone with everyone else. Jane fakes a pout but quickly replaces it with a smile, mouthing "I'll be there soon" to the doctor.

* * *

Jane walks into the living room to find TJ on Maura's lap, looking up to and completely caught up in whatever story her best friend is telling him. She pauses, delaying her arrival to watch more of their interaction. She feels an inexplicable mix of happiness and heartache as she watches how comfortable Maura is with the little boy. Her thoughts meander to a couple of years back, when she had a miscarriage, imagining what it would be like to have both Maura and her own child in her life. A shot of pain squeezes at her heart, making her think about losses and what if's at a time when she should be nothing but joyful, in the presence of just about everyone she loves most.

As if sensing her presence, Maura's head turns toward the other woman, catching the look on Jane's face, evidence of her melancholic musings.

Maura smiles at her, question in her eyes. Jane approaches the pair, brushing a hand on Maura's back as she maneuvers around the couch. She settles next to Maura, draping her left arm across the back of the couch as she faces TJ.

"Hey," Maura greets her quietly, attuned to her current mood. "Everything ok?" Her hand instinctively reaches for Jane's, thumb brushing over warm skin.

Jane smiles reassuringly. "Yeah, yeah. They love your tiramisu they're all having seconds." She turns her hand over, threading longer fingers through Maura's. Her left hand reaches from behind and around Maura to rustle TJ's hair. "How's your cake, young man?"

"Yummy!" TJ replies with much enthusiasm, giving his aunt a thumbs up reminiscent of his dad.

"Did you thank Auntie Maura for making it?"

"I did!" he replies quickly. "Thank you again, Auntie Maura," his "Maura" coming out as "Mauwa" instead and earning adoring chuckles from the two adults.

"Good boy!" Jane rustles his hair again and then leans in to kiss the boy's head, inadvertently brushing up against Maura. Her gaze lingers on her nephew a beat longer, a shadow of sadness behind her eyes.

A squeeze of her hand jolts her back to the present. Jane turns toward Maura, once again finding her questioning gaze. She smiles and without thinking, leans in to give her a kiss that lands on her temple. "You're awesome, you know," she tells Maura. "You're so amazing with this guy right here," she nods toward TJ.

"Who wouldn't be?" Maura answers, eyes glued to Jane's. "He's a wonderful, handsome little boy, how could I not be in love with him?" Her smile widens as she feels the bundle on her lap snuggling closer.

Something snaps inside Jane, the muscles holding her head up loosening to let her head drop, landing on Maura's shoulder. Her insides are suddenly all jumbled up, emotions filling her up to the brim.

"How could I not be in love with _you_?"

It comes out of her, unbidden. Her eyes squeeze shut when realization of what she had just blurted out sets in.

"Jane…"

"Maur…"

"Hey, TJ, sorry kiddo but it's time to go!"

All three voices collide, the loudest one cutting through the other two quieter ones.

Jane quickly pulls back, turning toward Tommy to avoid Maura's eyes.

"It's still early, why the rush?" She forces her voice out through the thick lump still lodged in her throat.

"I promised Lydia she can have TJ after dinner. I'm picking him up tomorrow morning anyway so he can open presents with Ma and maybe you guys if you're up for it." Tommy has come around, taking TJ from Maura.

"That would be really nice, Tommy. We would love to have him here Christmas morning. I think he has the most presents under the tree," Maura says, smiling at the boy and his Dad.

Jane feels herself smile at Maura's use of "we."

"We better go, don't wanna piss Lydia off." He earns a punch on his leg for his choice of words.

"Watch your mouth, your kid's right here," Jane scolds.

"Sorry," Tommy says sheepishly, moving to hug both his sister and Maura. "Don't mess this up, sis," he whispers as he hugs Jane, winking when he pulls away.

Jane couldn't come up with a reply, left watching on as Tommy says his goodbyes to everyone. Frankie comes up soon after, also having to go so he can make it to Frost's dinner party. Maura walks to the kitchen on Angela and Antonia's bidding, the other two interested in her Tiramisu recipe this time.

On her way, the doctor turns to catch Jane's eyes, smiling even as she gives her a look that promises they will later revisit the moment Tommy had interrupted. Jane responds with an uncharacteristically shy smile, holding Maura's gaze.

Which is how Frankie finds her, gazing with apparent reverence at Maura.

"You better not mess this up, Janie," Jane hears for the second time in less than five minutes.

"Why does everyone think I will? And what's there to mess up anyway, there's nothing." She gives Frankie an exasperated look.

"That's the point, Jane. There's the potential for something," Frankie comments quietly. "I think she's just waiting for you to make the first move, Janie. So you should." Frankie surprises her with a bear hug, lifting Jane off the ground momentarily. "She's a keeper, Jane. I think we've found someone to take over the cooking duties during the holidays when Ma gets too old to do it," Frankie adds with a chuckle.

Jane's eyes widen, punching Frankie in the arm as she pulls away. "She's the Chief Medical Examiner of the Commonwealth, not the Rizzoli family cook," she barks at an undeterred Frankie who continues to sport a wide grin. Jane couldn't help but smile when the younger Rizzoli wiggles his eyebrows at her, waiting for an acknowledgement of what he had been encouraging her to do. She relents, head dropping somewhat abashedly. "And I do have every intention of keeping her."

"And making that first move?" Frankie pushes.

Jane shrugs. "We'll see."

Frankie pumps his fist, nonetheless elated by the noncommittal response. "I'll take that," he responds ,nodding. "Alright Janie, I'm gonna go ahead to Frost's and see you guys tomorrow for breakfast and church," he quickly gives Jane another hug, shouting more goodbyes at the ladies in the kitchen. "And don't worry, I'll tell Barry you and Maura have too much going on to make it." He leaves with another wink and a light slap on the head from his older sister.

* * *

With dinner over and Antonia gone, Jane had rushed to change into more comfortable sweats, encouraging Maura to do the same as soon as she reenters the kitchen to find her best friend and mother starting to clean up.

"I got it, Ma. I am the master of Maura's dishwasher, leave these dishes to me."

Angela turns, regarding Jane with a smile. "Ok, Janie. If you say so."

"Go and relax in the living room, Ma. Watch Oprah or something," Jane begins to rinse the plates off under the tap. Angela tells her she'll head back to her place instead, wanting to relax and turn in early. As her mother puts away leftovers in the fridge, Jane remembers something she'd been afraid to ask earlier. "Hey, Ma…"

"Yes?" Angela halts, head stuck inside the fridge.

"Whatever happened to Antonia's son, Fabio? You said he was coming. I mean, it's not like I uh, missed him or anything. I mean I'm just wondering why he didn't show up when you said he -"

"Oh, I forgot to tell you, he had to go to his girlfriend's parents' house for dinner."

Jane's eyes widen in surprise. "He had to...he has a girlfriend?"

"Disappointed?" Angela turns and asks, obviously teasing.

"Of course not. I'm just...you didn't tell me he had a girlfriend. I mean I thought you were…"

"Setting you up again?"

"Yeah," Jane says, instantly defensive. "Can you blame me, Ma? You won't give it up even though I keep telling you to. It's just not gonna happen. It'll never work."

"Ok," Angela answers, distracted by the process of collecting her things.

"Ok?" Jane stops mid-scrub, turning unbelieving eyes onto her mother. "That easy? Ok? You're not setting me up with any men ever again? You agree that you'll never be successful at this matchmaking mission of yours?" Jane rattles one question after another, eager to get Angela to concede.

Angela approaches her daughter slowly, giving Jane a hug and a rather loud peck on the forehead. "Never again, Janie. I promise," she reassures her skeptical daughter.

"Thanks, Ma." Jane returns the hug, squeezing her mother both lovingly and with much gratitude, immensely relieved by her promise.

"I'm gonna go rest now. I'll see you kids tomorrow for breakfast. Sounds like Maura's in the shower so make sure to tell her not to worry, I will take care of breakfast. It's the Rizzoli tradition."

Jane smiles at Angela, nodding and promising to do as told. "Goodnight, Ma. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, sweetie. Give Maura a hug and a kiss for me," Angela calls out, headed for the door. "And Janie," she halts her steps suddenly, turning smiling eyes toward her daughter. "You can't say I was _never_ successful at matchmaking. Not after tonight." She leaves her puzzled daughter with a wink.

Moments later, a showered and pajama-clad Maura steps up next to Jane still busy doing the dishes. She bumps her hip against the taller woman. "Hey."

"Hey yourself," Jane replies, smiling once again with uncharacteristic coyness.

Maura smiles warmly back at her, sustaining their gaze. "Angela's gone?"

"Yeah, she said she wanted to relax and turn in." Jane swallows nervously when she feels Maura's hand reach out toward her back, sliding up and down over her shirt. "She also wanted me to tell you that she will take care of breakfast tomorrow. You know, Rizzoli tradition and all." Noting the fleeting look of insecurity on her best friend's face, Jane quickly wipes her hands on the towel, turning towards and reaching for Maura's hand. "Hey, you're an honorary Rizzoli now. You know that, right? You're in on the tradition."

Jane moves the hand she's holding around her back, leaving herself wrapped up within Maura. Her own arms drape around Maura's shoulders, squeezing and then pulling the doctor into a hug.

"Thank you, Jane," Maura replies, words muffled against Jane's academy shirt clad chest.

"Fabio has a girlfriend." Jane announces from out of the blue, causing Maura to pull back in surprise.

"He does?" She squints thoughtfully when Jane confirms with a nod. "And Angela didn't know?" she asks, puzzled.

"She did," Jane replies, smiling and waiting for Maura to catch on.

"And still she wanted to s-" Maura pauses mid-sentence, putting the pieces of this puzzle together. "She never intended to set you up with him?"

"I guess not."

"So why did she make you think she was going to?"

Jane shrugs. "To scare me? Whatever her reason was…" Jane pauses, catching and holding Maura's gaze, "She seems to believe she'd been successful at matchmaking this time."

Maura's face lights up, realization setting in. "She's a very smart woman, your mother. Devious, too." Her right hand leaves Jane's back, moving to rest on her cheek, thumb grazing over a prominent cheek bone. "So, was she? Successful?"

Jane's hand goes on top of Maura's, bringing it the short distance toward her mouth, lightly kissing fingertips. "I meant what I said earlier, Maur."

"Which one? You've said a lot of things to me today, Jane," Maura replies, smiling playfully while her left hand moves toward the back of Jane's neck, fingertips grazing skin.

Jane groans, burying her head against Maura's neck. "You know what I'm talking about, Maura."

The doctor chuckles, bringing her right hand up to join her left, wrapping around Jane's shoulders to pull the detective even closer. "I do," she whispers against curls. "But I want to hear it again."

Maura feels the puff of air before the warmth of lips grazing her neck. "How can I not be in love with you?" she feels more than hears the words whispered so quietly close to her ear. "You're amazing with me, with my crazy mother, with my brothers, especially with my nephew." Jane pulls Maura's body even closer to her own. "How can I not be in love with you?" she asks again after pulling away, this time wanting to see her beloved, her best friend's face when she repeats her question.

"Oh, Jane," Maura whispers, eyes bright with emotion. "I am, too. In love with you." And it hits her just how much. Just how deep her feelings for her best friend goes.

They both remember moments they've shared, thousands of moments when they've felt so much affection, so much adoration for the other. But to finally be able to call it something, to call it being in love, blows them both away.

Maura's hand in her hair, fingers grazing her nape, feels so natural, so perfect. Jane pulls Maura closer, feeling her pulse quicken, finally knowing how it feels to want to do something so badly it takes over her entire body. Not sure how, but she manages to rein herself in enough to pull Maura into a tentative, soft kiss. They tilt their heads at the same time, going opposite ways, fitting their mouths better against each other.

This time, Maura pulls Jane in closer, hand around her neck. Her lips part, granting Jane the access she craves, they both crave. And the moment their tongues touch, she struggles to silence a moan, equally as unsuccessful at it as Jane. They continue languidly, hands clutching, holding on to one another for support as their legs begin to feel like jelly. They keep kissing...the softest of kisses, the best of kisses.

When they finally pull back for air, their foreheads meet, resting against each other. Jane brushes soft kisses anywhere her mouth could reach, Maura's cheek, her jaw, the side of her mouth, her lips.

"It's Christmas Eve, not New Year's eve, right?" she asks suddenly, voice huskier than Maura's ever heard it to be.

"It is Christmas Eve, Jane, not New Year's Eve," Maura confirms, nuzzling against Jane's neck. "Disoriented?"

"A little," Jane confirms, whispering against peach and vanilla-scented hair. "For a while there, I wasn't sure."

"Why not?"

"Because, my darling..." Jane gently urges Maura back a little, enough to allow her to bend down and steal another kiss, "I was seeing fireworks."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Finally finished this very late NY's ff-up to and final chapter in this story. Started way back, only just now found the time for completion. I thank each and every one of you who left a review, followed, favorite, or did all of the above for the first chapter. And, as always, I hope this one's an enjoyable read as well and that you find the time to let me know what you thought of it, good or bad. Happy belated 2016!**

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

When did it happen, Jane wonders, that she started feeling like if she didn't get to touch Maura, or talk to her, or even see her, that the universe would implode?

Her universe, at least.

Will she always feel like this, drunk and overcome with a craving for Maura? Jesus, she believes so.

She hopes so.

She wants to say it all started only a week ago, on Christmas Eve dinner when they shared their first kiss but she knows it had been building up way before then, this craving. Which is why every minute she could, she's spent with Maura since.

Several hours before midnight on New Year's Eve, they settle on Maura's couch, choosing to snuggle under a shared blanket over starting a fire. Somehow, Jane has managed to twist her long frame enough to rest her head on Maura's shoulder, her curled legs resting on the other woman's lap.

"Hey…" Jane breaks the silence, nibbling on a lower lip while her hands fiddle with Maura's fingers.

"Yes, Jane?" Maura replies, momentarily distracted from the 20/20 episode on TV. Her eyes shift downward, waiting to catch the other woman's eyes. Jane doesn't look up.

"I don't want to mess it...this up."

"Oh, Jane," Maura turns toward Jane, all interest on 20/20 gone. She buries her nose in the mess of lavender scented curls pressed up against her shoulder. "We haven't really talked about what…'this' is, have we?" Her right hand pokes a few times before beginning to move over Jane's thigh, stroking the jean-clad limb. "Is there even anything to mess up yet?" she asks, teasing, voice muffled against Jane's head.

"Would you want for there to be?" Jane replies after pulling out a deep breath. She finally looks up, meeting Maura's smiling but affection-filled gaze. "I mean you're right, we haven't really talked about what's going on between us. We can, of course. What do you want, Maur?"

Jane reaches up, catching the lower edge of Maura's jaw with a kiss. Maura's eyes close, heart fluttering lightly in her chest like she hasn't felt in a long time...maybe ever. The left hand on Jane's lower back reaches up, landing just at the edge of a shoulder blade, instinctively starting to knead the tense muscles beneath her fingers.

"I want…" Maura has to pause, gather her thoughts. Her brain finds it hard to process words when Jane's lips press against her face, her neck, her collar bone every few breaths. "I want you to keep kissing me," she finally replies, giving up on a reply with more substance.

Jane chuckles against her neck, acquiescing with another kiss.

"What else do you want?"

"We're not in high school, Jane. Do we need a formal declaration that we are 'going steady' or are girlfriend and...girlfriend?" She softens her teasing with a kiss pressed onto Jane's forehead. Maura realizes this is unfamiliar territory, being the one trying to make Jane laugh, relax a little. She, however, feels an uncharacteristic nervousness and insecurity emanating from her best friend. "I think we should just let things take their natural course...as they have. I mean...we're here now, aren't we? And I, for one, am loving where we are."

"So am I, Maur. So am I," Jane seconds, pulling away slightly to meet and hold Maura's gaze. "I'm just...I'm scared. Aren't you?"

Maura appears to pause for a moment, to consider the question. "No, not really," she replies, brimming with enough confidence for both of them. "Maybe a little, but that's to be expected from any new relationship, isn't it? I'm more excited than scared." Jane nods, agreeing wordlessly. "And it's in large part because I trust _us_ ," Maura adds, all at once undaunted and reassuring. "I trust what we have. And I trust you." Her left arm moves to wrap around and pull Jane's shoulder closer while her right clutches her thigh, wanting to gather Jane's body as close to her own as she can. "What are you afraid of, Jane?"

"I'm scared of...not being enough for you," Jane whispers her reply. "Like I..I can't afford to take you to expensive French restaurants all the time."

"I'd rather have you cook for me." Maura leans forward, stealing a kiss that lingers, her tongue fluttering against Jane's for a fleeting moment.

"I can't buy you the fancy stuff you're used to...your Jimmy Choochoos or whatever you call them." A long, lean arm reaches over to squeeze one of Maura's feet sandwiched between her thighs and the couch. Jane looks up, catching Maura's eye roll and look of disbelief.

"Oh, Jane, you can give me so much more." Maura takes the hand kneading her foot, threading her fingers through Jane's before bringing their paired hands up to her lips. "And anyway, I don't care about those things. It's not what I need from you. What I need from you, you've been giving me for years now." She kisses pink knuckles one more time.

"I spend a lot of time - and energy - at work. And, you know this very well...I get myself in danger quite a bit." Jane instantly feels Maura's thumb graze over the scar on her palm as if reminded of just the kind of danger Jane has faced.

"So do I, Jane, spend a lot of time and energy at and on my work," Maura reminds her. "And while I can't say I've gotten used to your life being in danger, I understand that it's part of your work. The same way I understand how much you love being a homicide detective. I would never, ever take you away from that. I would just have to trust that you would try hard to return to me everytime. And I do." The weight of emotions, Maura's passionate and unconditional acceptance take over Jane, driving her to grasp the doctor's face in her hands and kiss her with just as much passion, capturing Maura's soft upper lip between hers. She pulls away, gasping from both breathlessness and hesitation to detach from Maura's mouth.

"I can be a slob," Jane murmurs, eyes never leaving Maura's lips.

"I'll clean up after you."

"I can be reeeeally grumpy. And I'm a monster without my coffee."

"Been there, put up with it," Maura chuckles, agreeing without hesitation. "On several occasions," she adds. "But…" Maura pauses, giving Jane's rose-tinged cheek a peck, "I've also never met anyone kinder or who would put other people's lives before hers."

Jane ducks, blush deepening. "Not everyone's…maybe Ma's or Frankie's, Korsak. And yours...every single time, yours before mine."

"I know." Jane raises her head, the pair exchanging grateful, accepting smiles.

"My family's nosy, especially Ma, as you very well know. And, whether I want us to be or not, I'm afraid we're sort of a package deal," she looks at Maura, teasing challenge offered. Maura only replies with an arch of a well-shaped brow.

"I _love_ your family, Jane," she declares nonchalantly, as if it were a long-established fact. "Especially Angela. And they're already part of my life."

The declaration elicits a zealous, reverent hug from Jane, once again overcome with so much feeling for this woman she has loved secretly for years.

"I -"

"Nothing will change my mind, Jane. Stop trying to convince me." Maura takes her face in her hands this time, locking eyes with Jane's. "You should know by now that I...know what I want. And besides, this is not something that just happened out of the blue," she pauses, allowing Jane to digest her words. "This has been building up and for as long as it has, I have been deliberating...contemplating practically everything about it. I've been _so_ ready for this, Jane."

Their eyes lock again as they have quite a lot of late, this time and perhaps for the first time, regarding each other from a different vantage point - from that of someone who has been in love and is only now yielding to and embracing the realization.

"I love you," Jane husks out, a slight quiver in her voice, borne out of the weight and breadth of the emotion she tries to express. Her forehead finds Maura's, her cold skin a contrast against Maura's warmth. "I _so_ adore you."

Maura's smile widens, again feeling that now-familiar tingling she has come to know so well since they had opened up about their feelings for each other. "You have no idea how sweet you can be." A quick peck accompanies her words. "I adore you just as much. And I'm so in love with you. I have been for a long time."

Their lips meet again in a searing kiss, Jane's arms tugging Maura close as they wrap around her middle. She pulls Maura even closer, causing the blonde to lose her breath momentarily, her gasp affording Jane the chance to let her tongue delve into Maura's mouth. They pull apart, forced by a lack of air, both left a little dazed.

"I can't wait for midnight," another peck before Jane continues, "when I can kiss you into the new year."

"Why wait? You can start kissing me into the new year now."

Jane laughs, moving towards the end of the couch and then pulling Maura to sit between her legs, their flannel blanket draped over their laps. "It'll be our first New Year together. I've never been particularly excited by it. In fact," Jane's head drops onto Maura's shoulder, again unable to resist pressing a kiss against the other woman's ear, "I think I've usually either been working or sleeping on New Year's Eve."

Their chests vibrate with mild laughter. "By the way, you took your name off the on-call list for tonight, right?" Maura suddenly remembers to verify, feeling the woman behind her stiffen. The lack of an immediate response confirms her suspicion...and fear. "You forgot, didn't you?" Maura turns as she lightly slaps the arm resting on her stomach.

Jane groans against her neck. "Ugh, I did. And I blame you for it." Jane manages a chuckle when she notices Maura's disbelieving look. "What? I was on my way to Cavanaugh's office to let him know but then you had to text me that you were missing me so I went down to you instead!"

This time, Maura groans. "But I reminded you more than once, Jane."

"I know, I know. But you have no idea how...distracting you can be. I've barely been paying attention to much of anything else this week." Jane leans in, trying to catch Maura's eyes. She does, and spies the pleasure in them and the hint of redness coloring Maura's cheeks.

"Let's just hope nothing happens tonight and you don't get called."

"I can still call dispatch or Cavanaugh to..." an all too familiar and currently dreaded sound cuts Jane off. They both groan loudly, both wishing Jane could ignore her ringing phone.

"Rizzoli." Maura feels a bit of sympathy for whomever was on the other end of the line, recipient of the quiet but definitely audible growl that follows Jane's last name. She watches the frustration so clearly evident on Jane's face and in her clipped tones and one-word replies.

"You think Frankie will cover for you if you ask him?" Maura asks when Jane ends the call, feeling immediately guilty for even thinking up the idea.

"His drunk ass texted me an hour ago from some party to ask me to greet Ma for him when I call her." Jane's left leg, having already left the couch, stomps on the ground heavily. She buries her face in Maura's neck, muffling a frustrated growl. "I have to go. Dead body in an apartment on Madison."

"Want me to call off Pike and go with you?" Maura offers, reluctantly leaving her perch from between Jane's legs to allow the detective to get up.

"No no no, stay. Let's have at least one of us home," Jane says, already grabbing her badge and gun, oblivious to Maura's thrill from her referring to the doctor's house as "home." "I'll try to finish up as quickly as I can. It's a good five hours at least before midnight. I'll be home by then even if it kills me." Realizing what she had just said, Jane halts mid-stride, casting Maura a sheepish look. "Didn't mean that literally."

"Please be careful, Jane," Maura quietly asks, but only after a reprimanding shake of her head. "As long as you come back in one piece, unhurt preferably, I don't care if you come home after midnight. We'll have so many more New Year's Eves to celebrate."

"I know." Jane approaches, gathering Maura in her arms. "But this is our first. I reeeally want to be kissing you when midnight strikes." She kisses the top of a blonde head. "But I promise I will be extra careful. Efficient but careful. And I'll try not to kill Pike because if I do, Lord knows, that will ensure I won't be back by midnight."

Maura laughs, half-heartedly admonishing Jane with a pinch to her side that thrills more than it hurts.

"Go now. The sooner you get there, the sooner you can wrap up and come home to me."

Instead of going as ordered, Jane pulls away but keeps her eyes trained on Maura, a delighted smile adorning her face. "I like the sound of that...come home to you. I definitely like the sound of that." She gives Maura a quick peck, or at least tries to, as it quickly turns into a lengthy, impassioned kiss. Finally, she's able to pry herself away long enough and, with a helpful nudge from Maura, head out the door.

* * *

It's 2:34 AM, well past midnight and the last thread of Jane's patience when she finally makes it back to her cruiser. She allows herself a few frustrated slams on the steering wheel before taking a deep breath and driving off, eager to get back home to Maura.

She reaches Maura's house, feeling both happy and guilty to find the living room lights still on, indicating that Maura has stayed up waiting for her.

"Hey, you didn't have to wait up," she sits on the edge of the couch and greets the blonde reclined on it, looking sleepy but evidently happy and relieved to see her home, regardless of the time. Her arms lies over Maura's stomach, careful not to rest too heavily on the doctor when she leans to kiss her forehead.

"And miss getting kissed by you into the new year?" This elicits a confused look and then guilty laughter from Jane.

"Yeah...I'm sorry I didn't make it in time. But like you said, we'll have plenty more chances to -"

"I don't know what you're talking about. We have time, Jane," Maura announces, sitting more upright and then reaching for her phone on the table. She fiddles with it as Jane watches her, baffled and amused at the same time. "Here…" Maura tugs Jane toward her, at the same time holding her phone up. "We're on Pacific time...it's 11:59. You made it just in time, Jane," she declares, looking up with a face displaying delight akin to that of a 5 year old proud of what she had accomplished.

Realizing what Maura had done, Jane's smile widens. She gazes at the woman in front of her in awe, raw affection enveloping her. "Ten…" she whispers, inching her face closer as her left hand cups the back of Maura's neck while the other slides between the couch and Maura's back to wrap around her waist. "Nine...eight...seven...six…"

Maura contents herself with watching Jane count the seconds down here, in their own world, in their own time. Her heart beats rapidly but she realizes she has never felt as calm as she does now, secure in her place, in her love with and for this woman in front of her.

"Three...two...one," Jane stops, gazing lovingly at Maura. "Happy New Year, my love," she manages to say, voice husky with affection and excitement.

"Happy New Year, Jane," Maura replies.

And finally, they kiss, kissing well into the new year.

Their new year.

When they finally stop, instead of pulling apart, Jane lets her body rest atop Maura's, engulfing the other woman in an embrace filled with poorly restrained reverence and affection.

Maura manages to pull her arms out from between their bodies to snake around Jane's back, squeezing the taller woman as closely as she can, not minding the weight resting on her at all. All this time, she peppers whatever part of Jane she can reach with kisses.

Her temple, her hair, neck, shoulder...everywhere.

Jane sighs loudly, high on how this woman and the love she feels from her is able to dissolve the previous seven or more hours of death and frustration into twinkling lights, into home runs and bullseyes, into waves lapping on the shore. Into everything that makes her happy and content.

"Maur…" she pushes off against the couch, allowing a little space between them, enough for her to be able to sweep her eyes over every inch of Maura's face.

"Yes, love?" Maura replies, equally dazed and enamored.

"Will you promise, one day, to marry me?"

Jane had meant to say it lightheartedly, almost as a joke. But as soon as the words leave her lips, all humor seeps out from her tone, leaving only sincerity and earnest hope in its wake.

Maura's heart thuds in her chest, all at once disconcerted and atingle. When she's able to calm her racing heart, she reaches up to rake her fingers through Jane's curls, thumb stroking over her warm cheek.

"I promise," she pulls Jane close with a hand on her neck, kissing a promise onto her lips. "One day, love, maybe one New Year's Eve...I will marry you."

~FIN~


End file.
